Hurt
by ej8012
Summary: It was supposed to be a happy night, laughter, joy. Instead it was full of sorrow, regret, and the death of someone close to Percy's heart. Slight NicoxPercy if you squint. Oneshot, summary inside didn't fit so I made another.


**Title: **Hurt

**Summary: **When a car, heavy rain, a dark night, dark clothing, skidding on wet ground, blood, and wearing only black comes together. In which Nico knows what is going to happen. In which Nico is sent to Urgent Care, and then the Emergency Room. In which Hades himself comes to check on his only child. In which Percy watches Nico di Angelo barely be able to breathe. In which Percy blames himself.

**Rating: **T

**A/N: **Totally depressing, I'm going to have some cursing, hints at slash, hints at AnnabethxPercy, slight OOC Hades-ness... Also, flashbacks, e-mails, and IM-ing (the mortal kind). Might be confusing, but its supposed to be a little confusing. Anyway, hope ya'll like it and enjoy it!

* * *

_Rain... Bloody rain, I can barely see two feet in front of me, with my headlights on at full blast. Damn it. I swore a few times as I nearly took out a trash can. Gods damn it, at this rate I'm going to take someone out. I jerked on the steering wheel as the corner appeared out of seemingly nowhere, and I was glad that I had fixed the hole in my windshield as a splash of rainwater hit it. Gods... That had to be the worlds biggest pot-hole, I thought to myself._

_Well at least everyones going to be there, I thought as I drove towards camp. Its only the third aniversary of us destroying Kronos, and everyone is going to be there. Most of the gods (of course this meant I would have to avoid Ares and Mr. D for the entire night, as well as Aphrodite), most of the demigods (the new campers included), and... Nico. I had finally convinced him to come after what? Twenty e-mails?_

* * *

"Someone! Call 911 quick!"

"Isn't Apollo here? One of the gods?"

"No, they always come late."

"NICO! NICO!"

* * *

Sent: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)

Recieved: Nico di Angelo (princeofdeath_13)

Date: 4-30-10; 8:40 AM

Subject: Party!

Hey Nico, I know you hate parties, but there's going to be one in May, the fourth. I was wondering if you could come, just this once, for the rest of us? I mean, its the third aniversary of the downfall of Kronos and everyone is going to be there... I know Annabeth wants to see you, and it won't be like last time...

I mean, I can promise that nobody'll dump pink dye all over you... Again. Or make you take pictures with the little(-er) demigods, like the first time. Or try to play pin the head on the skeleton and try to get you to summon a skeleton. Again.

What I'm trying to say is that it would be awsome if you came.

Please?

-Percy

* * *

**seagreen_2 has logged in.**

**princeofdeath_13 has logged in.**

**seagreen_2: **Hey Nico! Did you get my e-mail?

**princeofdeath_13: **Yep, and I'm not coming. No way. Not ever again, especially after the pink dye incident.

**seagreen_2: **Please? Annabeth really would like it if you came! Honest!

**princeofdeath_13: **And I bet those kids would too. I mean, what do you think they have planned this year? Pin the tail on Nico? Nico di Angelo the pinata? No way Percy, I'm not going, you'll have to drag me!

**seagreen_2: **... For me? Please?

**princeofdeath_13: **...You suck. Fine, when is it?

* * *

_I drove on the old dirt road, barely able to keep to the speed limit out of anxiety. Nico was coming, and I had a few special plans for him... Like giving him a few ideas for getting back at the kids who had made the past two parties such hell for him. Still, I couldn't except everything to go smoothly. Ares would probably get into a fight, Athena would disapprove of my relationship with Annabeth, and my dad would be doing his best to embaress me in front of the entire camp._

_Oh well. It couldn't be as bad as last Thankgiving. Note to self; never let my dad near a turkey again. Or Nico. Or any of my relatives for that matter. Especially Tyson._

_I couldn't help but grin. Tyson would be coming with a few of his buddies. They would probably show up with dad, so they wouldn't be the first to arrive. On the other hand, I had managed (ok, Annabeth helped a little) to get the Muses to play, and that would make dancing a whole lot more fun. _

_I continued driving, seeing the lights of camp through the Mist that normally hid camp. I grinned and couldn't help but speed up a little to try to get there faster._

* * *

"It'll be ok, everything is going to be ok!" The nurse was saying, but I hardly could hear them. All I could really hear was myself saying things even I couldn't understand, in rapid Greek. If anyone found this strange they didn't say anything, and I ran after the nurse as they pulled Nico (on one of the roller beds) into the ER.

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't come in here, only close relatives." I struggled to go forward anyway when I found a strong force keeping me back.

"What? No! I have to see him... Have to see..." The nurse gave the person behind me a confused glance and I heard Annabeth saying,

"His first languge. Please excuse us," I felt myself being tugged away and led into a waiting room, the feeling of calm washing over me, and being casted out by me rushing blood. "Percy, get a hold of yourself. You're lucky the Mist will cover most of this mess up." Annabeth muttered into my ear. I just stopped saying anything and started to cry.

What had I done?

* * *

Sent: Percy Jackson (seagreen_2)

Recieved: Nico di Angelo (princeofdeath_13)

Date: 4-31-10; 3 PM

Subject: Date

Cool that you're coming, I sent an attatchment for the date of the party, and a calander of upcoming events if you want to come to any. Annabeth thinks that you'd be good at the sword-fighting day, but I think you'd be better at capture-the-flag days. Are you certain you won't be coming back to camp to stay? Chiron (and I) keep your cabin in pretty good shape if you ever want to come back.

Anyway, my mom wants to know if you'll come over the fifth for dinner, then you can go with me to the party the next day. Of course you'll be able to stay, and I think my mom really wants you to come.

Anyway, see you the sixth.

-Percy

* * *

_Everything was going to be awsome, I thought to myself. Sure, I had already planned out everything, but I also had made three back-up plans in case a few things happened (which included but were not limited to Travis and Coner having field days with sillystring, again). _

_Easily the best part would be that everyone (and I mean everyone, although I wish some people didn't have to come) would be there. Including all of my uncles, aunts, and cousins. And gods know who else. _

_Driving on the rainy street, I kept squinting to try to see where I was going. Prehaps if I tried my anti-water powers would have kept the water away from my car, but I was a little too excited for anything that needed that much concentration._

_I kept driving, looking out in the darkness. Then, suddenly, out of the shadows, a figure._

_I pulled at my wheel, trying to avoid the figure but it was far too late. A thunk and my screams were the only thing I heard as I ran out of the car, kneeling over Nico as a few figures by the hill started to run towards us._

* * *

Sender: Nico di Angelo (princeofdeath_13)

Recieved: Percy Jackson(seagreen_2)

Date: 4-31-10; 7:37 PM

Subject: RE:Date

Sorry Perc, but I won't be able to make it for dinner that day. I've got demigod stuff to do and all, plus I'm trying not to get killed by monsters every time I go to an internet cafe to check my e-mail (I blame you for that).

Still, thanks for inviting me. I can't believe I'm going, and I swear, if anything goes on like the last few times I'm never coming again (clothes are expensive).

Anyway, see you then.

-Nico

P.S

How are things w/ you and Annabeth? Heard from a few ghosts things are getting, well, bumpy.

* * *

"Where is my son?" Hades. I was too busy feeling like I was going to die (I was already a pale color) too really notice him, but few nurses took one look at the angry god and decided not to ask any questions. They pointed him towards Nico's room.

"He just got out of surgery." One of the braver ones said. Hades started to head off when, out of the corners of his eyes, he spotted me.

"Boy. Come." He said fiercly, and I didn't have enough will-power to resist. I deserved whatever I had coming, I thought to myself. I hardly even looked up, only following the sound of Hades' shoes on the polished floors as we walked through the hospital.

Finally we came to the right room, and Hades just waved his hand for the door to open. We were greated by a somber Chiron (in wheelchair form) and a soft beep-beep noise. At least it was steady, some part of my head managed to think.

I just stood in the doorway as Hades walked forward, seeming to shrink as he came closer to his son.

"... Nico..." He muttered, then the rest was in Greek and was too low for me to understand, even if I had wanted to hear it.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The sound calmed me down but I still was a little startled as Chiron rolled over to me and patted me on my right hand.

"Don't worry, Apollo will be here as soon as he can. He, ah, has to find someone to drive the sun for some time though. I was hesitant to call more gods here, for obvious reasons." He told me gently. I nodded numbly as Hades stood up straight and looked at me.

"Come here boy." He comanded, his voice stern, but not sounding like he was going to use my ghost as his underwear. Numbly, I softly walked over, my wet (my anti-water protection had broken when I realised I hit Nico) sneakers leaving marks on the floor, but hardly making a sound.

Beep... Beep... Beep...

"I will leave," Chiron decided, pulling himself out of the room a little too quickly for my liking. Still, I waited as I looked up at Hades. The god's face was mostly a mask, but I could tell that he was upset. Or, at least as upset as Hades can get.

I didn't blame him, his only son (and child) was probably going to die. And, I gulped, it was probably my fault.

"I do not blame you for this." Hades told me finally, after about five mintues of silence except for the beeping.

I blinked and looked at the god's face, trying to understand.

"I... I should have been more careful! I nearly ran him over!" I replied, shocked. At this point I wasn't sure if I wanted to die or if I wanted to live. I think my fate was tied up with Nico's, but for more reasons then I was going to admit. Hades shook his head slowly.

"No, he... He knew what would happen. After all," Hades let a grin grin appear on his face for a few seconds, before returning to its stone-cold mask. "He _is _my son." Hades paused, as if thinking over something. "I will allow you to stay with him, there is some... Buisness back in the underworld that presses." And with that, the lord of the dead disappeared without a sign. Not amazing, but I seemed to have snapped out of my daze.

"Nico! I'm... Oh my gods, I'm so sorry."

Beep... Beeep. Beeeep...

I hardly expected an answer. The only thing that replied was the steady (more or less) heart-rate monitor and Nico's soft, slightly labored, breathing.

"I only want you to enjoy yourself tonight. I guess that didn't work out... Nico..." I felt myself choke up and swallowed painfully. I was having trouble finding the right words, but I wasn't even sure what I was going to say next. Instead, I simply continued, trusting in the Fates to put the words in my mouth when I needed them.

"You're like a little brother to me... No, its more then that. Nico... I... You have to get through this Nico, you just have to. Please Nico, for me." Silence. Well, except for the constant beeping which I was starting to tune out.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep, beep.

Was it speeding up? No, it had to be my imagination. It _had _to be.

"Nico, you were always confused, and I know for a while you wanted me dead, but that doesn't matter to me at all. I... I know that I'm not the best big brother, heck, I more or less got your sister killed, but I still want you to know something... Nico..." Was that noise my heart or the monitor? Was the thumping my imagination or for real? Was it just me or was Nico's breathing evening out? Or was it getting even harder for the son of Hades to breathe?

"I..." I whispered the last part. Behind me, the door gently opened, and I heard soft footsteps behind me. Softly, two strong arms wrapped themselves around me and I started to sob. Crying my eyes out, with no regards to who was behind me or what was going on anymore.

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

Endless noise. Crying, the earth shaking in fury (or was it sadness?) and the sound of one last breath. Nico's eyes flashed open for one last time.

"I know. I feel the same."

The last four words I would ever hear from Nico di Angelo.

The last four words that would make any difference in my life.

And the only words I had wanted to hear for so, so, so long.

* * *

_Nico di Angelo_

_Age: 15_

_Last night, in a tragic car accident, Nico di Angelo was hit. The car was going about fifty-five miles per hour, and the rain had reduced visiblity to zero. The crash took place some time around ten PM, and the boy was brought to a hospital about ten-oh-three PM. Nico di Angelo passed on at ten-thirty PM._

_Nico di Angelo was no stranger to death. His mother died in childbirth, and his sister is missing, assumedly dead. Nico di Angelo's father is a rich buisness man, who has very little emotional ties to his son. His father was there at Nico's last moments, as were his cousin (Percy Jackson), and his tutor (Chiron Horseman)._

_-From the New York Times-_

* * *

The next day, I broke up with Annabeth. It wasn't all that bad, and she took it well. I guess. I mean, she didn't throw anything deadly at me (I _do _have to buy my mom another vase, again) and she didn't call on me a few curses. In my mind, that's good.

We didn't need to say anything, I mean, both of us understood why we had to break up and that it just wouldn't work out between us for lots of reasons. Still, I think she's a little beat-up about it. Her brothers and sisters keep giving me death glares though, so I'm not sure _everything _is ok.

My mom is starting to worry about me. Last night she came to pick me up, but all I remember is someone carrying me outside of the room and then everything just goes black. I think I passed out from shock, but at least I was able to go to Nico's funeral.

Nico being dead still gets me upset. I thought I was going to fall to pieces when I started talking about him, but I didn't. So two things down, one to go.

I walked through Central Park, the sounds of nature in my ears. Everything seemed far too peaceful, and bright. The sun shone and the sky was clear except for a few puffy white clouds. It seemed wrong, just wrong. The world should be dark and grey now that Nico was gone, and the trees and the plants should be half-dead. Not amazing and bright and pretty. No, the world should be a dark place, because it seemed, sometimes to me, that the very source of all light was gone.

I sighed and shuddered as a cool Spring breeze blew past me, but I continued to walk.

Annabeth had warned me against it, right before we broke up. Grover hadn't said anything but it was clear he thought it wouldn't help. Chiron had made me nearly beg him on my knees before he allowed to go. And I knew, somehow, that my mother and Hades were both against it. Still, the passage was open (luckily, as I couldn't sing and had forgotten to bring a source of music) so I assumed Hades wasn't going to stop me.

And I was right, because, as I continued to walk through the underworld, nothing happened.

Sure, the entire place looked even more dark and depressing then the last time I had been there (with Nico, and that thought brought back tons of painful memories), but none of the skeletons or ghosts tried to stop me.

"He's over there," one of them whispered, and I was a little startled I could understand them. Then the figure became solid and I saw that it was Bianca.

"Bianca... I'm... I didn't mean to..." I trailed off and Bianca gave me a sorry smile.

"It wasn't your fault. I know that, and so does he. He's been waiting for some time now though, so I should leave you two to talk." She easily disappeared into a fine mist, and the entire field of mist ghosts left with her. Except for one.

His dark black hair was just as messy as it had been in real life. His back was to me, and his dirty black clothes seemed to shimmer, as if they were going to disappear any second, along with him. His skin was clear and see-through, and I could see his untied shoe-soles as he sat, cross-legged, on a stone. His head was on his hands, and his elbows on his knees, staring out into space.

I must have made some kind of noise, because he perked up. First he sat up straight and then he looked back at me and I felt like a glob of goo in his gaze.

His features were clear and clean, and his dark black eyes sparkled with a kind of light I didn't know he had in him.

"Hey Perc, glad you could see me."

And then, right then, I knew everything was going to be ok.


End file.
